The Phantom and the Half Demon
by Demonwolf
Summary: A young musical genius with a disfigured face. A little girl sired by a powerful demon. And a friendship that will bind them together forever.
1. Their Beginning

**Ch. 1: Their Beginning**

_I have a real affection for my half-demon OC Rin and I couldn't stand the thought of her not having a friend. And after reading Susan Kay's fantastic book _Phantom, _I knew that Erik and Rin would find real friendship in each other. Thus, this fic was born._

_The story takes place right after Erik leaves the gypsy camp when he's about 11 or 12 (even he's not sure of his age in the novel). Rin is 8, close to being 9; enjoy the fic, my friends!_

_Disclaimer: Rin is mine, Erik is not._

Erik adjusted his mask and kept walking. It hadn't been easy leaving France for England by himself, but there was no way he was going to join another traveling show if he was going to be reduced to an animal again. True, his skills with magic and ventriloquism could astound any possible ringmaster, but he could never be sure if said masters would want more… _intimate _services like Jarvet had desired.

Erik's stomach gave a small growl, but the young boy gritted his teeth and kept walking. Better hungry and free than held captive and well-fed as he'd been with the gypsies.

Or his mother.

Not far ahead, Erik could hear the crashing of waves and the boy felt hope rise within him. Excellent; under the cover of night, Erik could fish to his leisure. With any luck, he'd have some food before dawn.

"Who's there?" Erik started, his eyes darting back and forth behind his mask and his keen ears pricked. The voice was young and feminine and sounded a little strained, as though its owner was upset. A local's daughter, perhaps, or even a young woman spurned by her first love.

"I said who's there?" Now the voice was closer and unless Erik was very much mistaken there was a hint of a growl in the voice. Erik spun on his heel, pinpointing the voice as coming behind a clump of bushes behind him. With one sweep of his hand, the young boy swept aside the foliage…

… and found himself staring into the golden eyes of the strangest girl he had ever seen.

She was younger than him; the soft roundness of her face indicated that she had not yet entered adolescence. Her fawn-colored hair dangled to the middle of her neck with a fringe of bangs dancing above her eyebrows. Her arms and limbs were gangly and her feet were bare, but she was tall enough to look Erik right in the eye. Garbed in a sleeveless brown shirt and a pair of cut-off trousers, she looked as though she were more at home in the wild outdoors than any other English girl. But Erik's attention was captured by the large bat-like ears protruding from the top of the girl's head and the spikes lining the insides of her arms. Those qualities, coupled with the claws on her fingertips and the fang tips peeping out from her upper lip was enough to temporarily rob Erik of speech.

For her part, the girl looked slightly taken aback at the sight of Erik. Her golden eyes trailed over him, from the top of his black feathered hat (courtesy of one of the gypsies), his flowing magician's cloak, ruffled shirt, and, of course, the white cloth mask.

"Who're you?" she asked now, confusion replacing any kind of hostility.

"Who're _you?_" Erik retorted, refusing to be intimidated.

"I asked you first," the girl replied, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Ladies first, _mademoiselle_."

"What makes you think _I'm_ a lady?" By this point, the two of them were so close, the girl's nose was touching the cloth of Erik's mask. Scowling into each other's eyes, the two were suddenly aware of how ridiculous they must appear to an outside viewer and simultaneously begin to chortle at each other. In the midst of his mirth, Erik realized that he'd never shared a laugh with another before and certainly not with some one close to his age. The girl, for her part, looked just as pleased to be in Erik's company and made no attempt to stifle her giggles.

"Okay, okay, fine. My name's Isuzu, but you can call me Rin." The girl held out a clawed hand.

"_Bonjour_. My name is Erik." He shook Rin's offered hand, happy to be offered a gesture of welcome so easily.

"Are you French?"

"I am."

"Well, what're you doing here?"

"Nothing, as of this moment."

"Oh." Rin tilted her head. "Are you by yourself, Erik?"

"_Oui_, Rin. I am."

"What about your mother?" Rin asked softly. Erik averted his eyes, scowling.

"With me gone, she's free to remarry. She's probably glad I'm gone."

Rin was silent and Erik continued to stare at the ground, remembering how his mother had so often desired to be rid of him. Well, now she was.

"My mother just got remarried too."

Erik's head snapped up. Rin's ears were drooping and she scuffed a bare foot against the ground. "She just left for a honeymoon," the girl added softly.

"Does your mother.. Is your stepfather…?"

"Oh, Mother loves me and her new husband's really nice too. It's just… they'd probably have more friends if I wasn't around." Rin pointed to her ears. "People don't like me 'cause I'm a half-demon."

Half-demon? Erik had heard of such creatures, but had never seen one in his travels with the gypsies. According to what he'd heard, half-demons were fierce, devilish creatures with a taste for human blood. In other words, they were monsters.

Monsters like he was.

"Your father was a demon, wasn't he, Rin?" The little girl nodded sadly.

"He died fighting an evil demon. My neighbors are glad he's dead and they'd be really happy if I was dead too. They don't like demons or half-demons."

"I guess they wouldn't like monsters either," Erik murmured, his hand straying to his mask. Rin glanced up at him with understanding in her eyes.

"Is that," she pointed at the white cloth "why your mother was mean to you?"

"_Oui. _And why I ran away."

"Well, if you don't have anywhere else to go, maybe you can stay with me." Erik stared at the girl in disbelief.

"Mother and my stepfather won't be back for almost two weeks. An older woman is supposed to watch me, but she won't come to stay. So long as I don't annoy my neighbors, they mostly ignore me, so you can stay at my house." Rin's words came out in a rush, as though she half-expected Erik to refuse. The boy tilted his head at her.

"You mean, I can really stay with you and no one would mind?"

"No one's gonna bother us. I promise. And, well, I never had a friend stay over before. Actually," Rin amended, "I never had a friend."

"Me either," Erik replied. Indeed, since his beloved dog Sasha had been killed, Erik had completely given up on the notion of friendship. Now, it seemed, he was about to get a second chance.

"So, does that make us friends?" Rin asked.

"I… I think so. That is, if you want me for your friend, Rin."

"Yes, I do. And I'm your friend too, right, Erik?"

"Yes!" The two smiled at each other, the first of many that would mark a friendship that only comes once in a lifetime.


	2. Music

**Ch. 2: Music **

_Thanks to Shireheart for the kind encouragement._

Rin led Erik to a trim little cottage close to a lighthouse. The small house was painted white and the front door was a dark green. The front porch had been swept clean and was decorated with a few pieces of white wicker furniture. Looking at it, Erik was reminded of his mother's cottage and had to stop for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked, already up the porch stairs.

"It's just…" Erik shook his head. "It's nothing. Never mind me, Rin." The little half-demon eyed him curiously, but shrugged and said nothing. Pushing open the door, Rin stood on her tiptoes to switch on a lamp. The glow of the bulb revealed a cozy interior with cushioned chairs, a stone fireplace, and a thick carpet. But what captured Erik's attention was the black piano resting against the far wall.

"Oh," he breathed, delighted at the sight at the instrument. "Tell me, Rin, do you play?"

"Hmmm? Oh, no, I don't know how. Mother plays a little though. She says it's just a hobby though; the piano was a gift from her aunt."

"May I play? It's been a long time since I've had access to a piano."

"_Hai."_

"Hi?" Rin giggled slightly.

"_Hai _means 'yes' in Japanese."

"_Hai_," Erik repeated. "How do you say 'thank you?'"

"_Arigato."_

"Ar-rhee-GA-to," Erik repeated, feeling a smile creep across his face.

"_Toitatsematsu._ You're welcome, Erik."

The young boy trotted across the room and took his place at the piano seat. Erik ran his fingers across the ivory and ebony keys, savoring the feel of the wood. Pressing down on one of the keys, Erik was rewarded with the sound of a high clear note, signifying that the piano was perfectly in tune.

"Shall I play something for you, Rin?" The little girl cocked her head, one ear tip drooping slightly.

"Like what?"

"Well, do you have a song you like that your mother plays?"

"I don't really know any names. You choose."

"Very well." Erik turned back to the keys once more and placed his long fingers over them. "I shall play Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' for you, Rin."

From memory, the masked boy lightly tapped each key, producing the solemn and almost mysterious melody that charmed the ears of anyone fortunate enough to listen. Erik heaved a contented sigh of his own as he played; how wonderful it was to once again be wrapped in sweet music. Oh, the sheer delight of the power drifting out of his hands and into the air! How he had missed this while traveling with the gypsies. How he wished the piece would never end! How-

"Oh, Erik, it's so beautiful."

Jerked out of his reverie, Erik glanced back at Rin, who had draped herself across the armrest of the couch closest to the piano. Her head was cradled in her clawed hands, her ears were straight up, and her eyes were shining like stars.

"Have you never heard this piece before?" The little half-demon shook her head.

"Mother usually plays very simple songs or just scales."

"I see. Perhaps-" Erik's words were cut off by a rather uncouth gurgling from his stomach.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rin exclaimed, jumping up on the couch. "I guess you must be hungry."

"I believe I am," Erik replied. Ironic that he who thought of food as a nuisance should once again find himself in dire need of it. Rin hopped off the couch and headed toward the back of the room, where a hall led to what was obviously the kitchen.

"Actually, I'm hungry too," she said. "Mother left a lot of leftover food from the wedding today. What would you like?"

"Anything, really. I'm not that picky when it comes to food." Once more, Rin eyed him curiously, but trundled off to the kitchen without another word. Erik turned back to the piano. Should he play another of Beethoven's pieces or switch to Mozart? Or perhaps something different entirely? Maybe he should try to compose something himself; he had done so often at his mother's house, though Heaven knew _she _hadn't praised him for his work.

"Here, Erik!" Rin had returned, bearing a tray with two plates and two cups. On ach plate was a large slice of white cake, decorated with white frosting.

"Cake?" he asked.

"_Hai_, cake." Rin set the tray on top of the piano and then, much to Erik's surprise, hopped up beside him on the piano seat. "Don't worry, it's not like anyone's going to tell us we can't."

"Why would anyone prevent us from eating cake, Rin?"

"Well, you know, we're not supposed to eat a lot of sweets."

"Oh no?" Now Rin looked extremely confused.

"Well, yeah. Most grownups will tell you that you have to eat healthy foods, even though you want sweet foods. They say too much sugar is bad for you and eating too much cake or too many cookies before bed will make you sick."

"Then, pray tell, why are we eating it?"

"Because we _can!_" The little girl waved her fork in front of Erik's masked face. "I never listen to any of the adults in my neighborhood and Mother wouldn't mind if we ate cake now. Besides, it's not like we're going to eat the _whole_ cake right now."

"Very well." Erik reached for his own plate and took a bite of the cake. He had to admit that, despite his general disdain for food, the cake _was_ quite good and the sweet juice Rin had filled his cup with quenched his thirst nicely.

"Thank you. This cake is quite delicious."

"You're welcome. Let me know if you want more."

"This should be enough, thank you."

"Okay." Rin swallowed another mouthful. "Are you going to play more music.

"If you don't mind, Rin. I don't want to disturb you.

"No, no, it's okay. I like listening to you play." Rin smiled shyly at her new friend.

"Would you… would you like to learn?" Erik asked.

"Learn?"

"Yes. I'll teach you. That is, if you'd like."

"Maybe a little," Rin agreed hesitatingly. "Mother bought me a toy xylophone when I was a baby, but all I did was bang on it and break it. She and Father agreed I wasn't going to be a musician anytime soon."

Erik chuckled at Rin's story, though he was a mite jealous at how easily Rin's parents endured their daughter ruining an instrument (even if it was a mere toy).

"Here, let me show you." Without thinking, Erik gently took Rin's hands in his own and nearly jumped a foot when she gave a little gasp.

"Oh, Rin, I'm sorry. I forgot how no one likes me touching them! I-"

"It's okay! Really, Erik, I'm fine. But… are your hands _always_ that cold." Erik nodded, hanging his head. "Oh, okay. For a minute, I thought you were freezing and didn't want to complain."

"You… you don't mind my hands?"

"No." Slightly stunned, Erik took the half-demon's hands again and, when she did not appear startled, had to bite his lip to stop himself from grinning like an idiot.

_She doesn't mind my hands on hers! I… I can't believe it. She really doesn't mind! Half-demon she may be, but there must be something else there too. She is far too good to be merely half-human._

"Erik, are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, _oui, _I am quite alright. Now, as I was saying, you should start with your hands here."

"Like this?"

"Yes. Very good, Rin. Now, gently tap these keys here and here."

Outside, the waves crashed against the shore and beat a rhythm against the rocks. The wind sang through the trees and whistled through the long grass of the dunes. But to the two small figures in the cottage by the sea, the sweetest music came from the various notes each tapped out on a small black piano, mingled with the other's laughs of joy.


	3. To Make Her Smile

**Ch. 3: To Make Her Smile**

_Dedicated to my good friend Shireheart as a late Christmas present. Since this is a friendship fic, I couldn't be happier than to be deicating a chapter to my friend!_

As Erik woke up, he felt a hand clutching at his shoulder and what felt like a very oddly-shaped blanket covering him. Opening his eyes behind his mask, the young boy tilted his head to the right and was confronted with Rin's sleeping face. The little half-demon had fallen asleep next to him with her arm across Erik's chest. In sleep, the spikes under Rin's arm had extended, revealing a large membraneous wing. Erik's eyes widened, suddenly able to see Rin's demon heritage.

_The ears, the fangs, and the... the wings. Rin is a bat demon. _And on the heels of that,

_She's so beautiful._

Rin's ears twitched and she opened her eyes. Upon seeing her new friend, the little girl smiled and blinked a few times.

"Good morning. Guess we fell asleep faster than we meant to."

After teaching Rin a few basic scales on the piano, the two had curled up on the thick carpet by the fireplace after Erik had lit a cheery flame. However, the exhausting day had taken its toll on both children and they had fallen asleep in front of the fire within minutes.

"It seems we did," Erik agreed now. "What time is it?"

Rin sat up and stretched, her wings rustling as she did. "I think it's about ten in the morning. Perfect time."

"For what?"

"For a swim. C'mon!" Before Erik could protest, Rin had grabbed his hand and began pulling him through the house and out the back door. Outside, the Atlantic ocean was like glass and sparkled in the morning sun. The sun beat down from a clear blue sky and the heat from the sand radiated upward.

"Let's go!" Rin eagerly led Erik down to the sand pulled his halfway down to the water before letting go. Before the boy's eyes, the little half-demon took a flying leap into the water. Popping up again, Rin shook out her short hair and stood up in the shallows.

"C'mon, Erik! The water's great!"

"Rin, I... I'm not a good swimmer. I've only paddled in a few rivers."

"That's no problem." Rin waded over to Erik and stood dripping before him. "I'll help you. C'mon." She held out her hand.

"Well, I-"

"Hey, you helped me learn some of the piano. Let me teach you a little bit about swimming."

"I... supposse that would be alright."

"Good. You might want to take your shoes off first." Erik leaned down to do as he was told; pulling off his boots, he removed his shirt as well, but said,

"I'm keeping my mask on, though."

"Okay, if you want," Rin agreed, impatient to get on with the lesson. "Now come on!"

Both children waded into the shallows, tiny waves lapping at their legs. Erik felt pleasent shivers run up his spine as the cool water enveloped his lower body.

"Okay, sit down." Erik and Rin crouched in the water, only their heads above the waves now. "Alright, to swim, you move your arms like this." Rin made a motion like she was pushing the water away from her and Erik copied her. "Good, and while you do that, you kick." Rin kicked her legs and swam slow circles around Erik. "Then, once you get good at that, you should start moving your arms over your head like this." Rin's new arm motion allowed her to swim faster and she paddled to the shore and back without pausing. "And that's it. Now you try, Erik."

"Very well." Taking a deep breath, the young boy pushed his legs against the sandy ocean floor and paddled forward. His strong arms cut through the water and he began to mimic Rin's over-arm motion.

"You're doing it! Turn your head to the side to breathe like this!" Erik turned his head and saw Rin swimming next to him with a grin on her face. Flipping back, the half-demon floated on her back and kicked at the water. Once again, she circled Erik effortlessly.

"By your lead!" Erik jumped up and flopped back, finding that floating was quite soothing. The masked boy allowed the small waves to bob him up and down like a leaf.

"This is so soothing," Erik murmured, not caring that his sodden mask stuck to his face like wet paper.

"Isn't it?" Rin asked, tilting her face closer to the sun. Erik gazed at the little half-demon, a thought perking in his head.

"Rin, would you believe me if I said I could make the ocean sing?" Rin pushed herself forward and stood up in the shallow water.

"Make the ocean sing? How can _anyone_ make the ocean sing?" Erik stood up next to his friend, adjusting his mask.

"I can do it. Would you like to hear it?"

"Well, sure."

"Come." Erik took Rin's hand and led her out of the water. Turning to face the ocean, the young boy decided to use the same song he had used to prove his worth to Javert: The Agnus Dei from Bach's Mass in B minor. Sealing his lips, Erik employed every ounce of his ventriloquist's skill to make the lovely song issue forth from each waves as it whispered over the shore.

"_Agnus Dei,"_ sang one wave. _"Misere nobis_," answered the next.

Stealing a glance at Rin, Erik felt his heart leap at the sheer amazement on her face. Sitting down on the sand, Rin shut her eyes, clearly wrapped in the total bliss that seemed to ensnare anyone that Erik sang to. Erik remembered how the people who had come to gawk at him quickly fell into the trap of his voice and surrounded to the power Erik, The Living Death, held over them with only his voice.

But now, Erik reflected, he was using his power to make his friend, his first and only friend, smile. With little effort, Erik switched from the Agnus Dei to a different song, making the ocean sound as though it hosted a chorus of mythical sirens. Rin's ears twitched at the change, as if drinking in the music. Erik sat beside her, smiling widely at his success.

"_Rin, Rin, my lady Rin," _the waves began to whisper. Now Rin's eyes shot open and she turned to stare at Erik, who ended his siren song and met his friend's gaze.

"Erik, you're... you're amazing." Rin's voice was soft with wonder.

"You think so?" Rin reached over and grasped Erik's hand.

"I know so."

"Thank you, _mon ami. _My friend."

"Will you sing some more, please?"

"But of course." Truthfully, Erik would have sung until his voice gave out if only to make Rin smile.


	4. A Hint and a Plan

**Ch. 4: A Hint and a Plan**

_I was originally going to post this on the 21st, because that's Rin's birthday. However, a combination of a heavy workload and Rin's insistence that I NOT post anything on her birthday forced me to post it tonight. Oh, the fun of trying to appease a stubborn half-demon..._

_Enjoy the chapter, everyone!_

It was about noon when Rin and Erik tromped back to the house. Both children were damp, covered with sand, and had their hair matted with salt, but both were extremely happy. Erik himself couldn't remember a time (if there was a time to remember in his life) when he'd felt so utterly carefree.

'Is this what it's like to have a true childhood? Is this how other children feel all the time?' If it was, Erik enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

Pushing open the back door, Rin pointed down a hallway that led to a darkened alcove.

"That's the laundry room. You can put your shirt and shoes in there before we take a bath." Erik started.

"Beg pardon but,_ we, _Rin?"

"Tch, not at the same time," Rin scoffed. "Did you really think I meant that?"

"It is a gentleman's responsibility to preserve a lady's dignity," Erik replied grandly.

"You really think I'm a lady, don't you?" Rin asked, smiling shyly at her friend.

"Certainly," the masked boy replied. "You, Rin, are a lady of the highest caliber."

The little half-demon's face flushed and she placed on one cheek in surprise.

"Oh, I do apologize, Rin," Erik said, giving a stiff little bow. "I did not mean to make you blush."

"Is that what this is?" Rin asked in obvious awe. "I've heard other kids say that when people say nice things to you, your face gets hot, but I didn't know it felt like this. I like it," she added after a pause. For a moment, both children were held by the spell of flattery, but as full adult emotions had yet to surface in either of them, that spell was soon broken.

"Well, like I said, you can put your clothes in the laundry room. We should be able to find clean clothes for you in the attic." Erik followed Rin's instructions, then accompanied the half-demon up to the third floor.

"Forgive me for asking, but are you sure you will have clothes for me?"

"_Hai_. My mother inherited this house from an aunt and the aunt left a whole lot of stuff in the attic." Rin pushed open the attic door, revealing an overstuffed room full of boxes, old furniture, and various scattered treasures from ages past.

"Mother and Father started keeping things up here too and they were always talking about cleaning the place out," Rin went on. But then, Father died and every time Mother came up here, she got sad. So now, she doesn't come up here at all."

"I see. Then, are you sure it is alright for me to borrow clothes?" Rin was prying at a nearby box as she answered,

"Sure I'm sure. It's not as if the clothes are being used."

"Well then, _merci, _Rin." Rin cocked her head at Erik, pausing in her task.

"Mercy?"

"_Merci _is how one says 'thank you' in French." Rin's ears twitched.

"_Mer-ci_," she repeated. "I like it; it's pretty." Flashing her friend a smile, Rin peered inside the box she had just opened. "Nope, nothing here... oh hey, here's an old mask!" The little half-demon held up a mask identical to the one Erik was wearing, except that it was black and made of cotton as opposed to Erik's white face covering fashioned from kid.

"Oh, thank you," Erik said gratefully, taking the mask from Rin. It would be good to have a clean mask; his was already stiff from the sea and smelling faintly of seaweed.

"You're welcome, but... you don't _have _to wear a mask if you don't want to. You can take it off, you know."

_Take off the mask._

_Let us see you!_

_Off with the mask! Off with the mask!_

_Let us see the creature's face!_

"No!" Erik cried. Please, Rin, don't ask me to take off the mask! You must _never _see my face!"

Rin's eyes widened and her ears stood straight up at Erik's outburst. Any semblance of her demon ancestors had left her for the moment; right now, she was startled little girl stunned by her friend's horrified outburst and Erik felt his heart plummet at the sight of his friend.

"Rin, I... I am sorry for," the masked boy began, but he was halted by Rin laying a little clawed hand on his arm and Erik saw not pity in Rin's eyes, but understanding. But the moment, like the earlier spell of flattery quickly passed, leaving both children in an awkward silence.

"Well," Rin said, diving back into the box, "there are some other masks in her; I guess this box must've held parts of costumes. We can take it down so that you can have your pick." Rin popped her head back out and started inspecting some of the other cartons; Erik heard her tapping and shaking the containers as he carried the mask box to the attic door.

"No... no... no... N-oh! Here we go!" Rin had evidently found what she had been looking for.

"Plenty of clothes here, Erik. let's take these downstairs."  
>****************************************************************************************************************************************<p>

Erik fastened the clean mask securely before daring to look at himself in the guest room mirror. Freshly bathed, still-damp hair neatly combed, Erik had to admit that he had the appearance of the young gentleman he'd been taught to be. Garbed in a dark blue shirt and a pair of short brown pants,the only odd thing about him was the black cotton mask. Still, with the mask on, Erik could at least think of himself as normal.

Satisfied, Erik peered out into the hallway, found it empty, and went downstairs. The living room was likewise deserted, but Erik made a beeline for the piano; he would play while the Lady Rin bathed.

Caressing the black and white keys, Erik reflected on the joy of the morning swim. The happiness flowed from his soul into his skeletal fingers, which in turn struck the keys, releasing high, cheerful notes into the air like butterflies. And, like butterflies, the notes soared into the sky, releasing their beauty for all who beheld them to enjoy. Ahh, how he loved music.

"You sure know how to play." Jerked out of his bubble of sound, Erik turned to find Rin setting a large tray on the living room table. On it was an array of small sandwiches, obviously left over from the wedding the day before.

"In fact," Rin went on, "I don't think there's a single person in the whole world who can play music better than you, Erik."

"That is kind of you, Rin," Erik replied, sliding off the piano stool. "I'd like to be able to compose my own opera one day."

"You will. And maybe you'll have your own theater too!" The little half-demon's eyes shone out from a freshly washed face. "Everyone everywhere will have to come and hear your music."

"That they will," Erik agreed. "But you, Rin, will always be the first guest I invite!"

"Aww, thank you!" Rin nodded toward the tray. "But let's eat first before you put on a show. Swimming makes you hungry, y'know."

"Yes, I feel it." Erik wondered if his mother had ever considered letting him expend his energy out of doors if she'd been so desperate to make him eat, then dismissed the thought. At this moment in time, he cared not a whit for any of the people he'd known before Rin.

Sitting side by side on the couch, the two children devoured the little wedding sandwiches. Outside, the waves hissed elegantly across the shore and the sound of people's voices drifted through the open window.

"Is something happening?"

"No, just some of my neighbors having a get together down on the beach. They do it all the time. All the kids play and all the adults talk."

"Do you and your mother...?"

"Sometimes. Mother still talks to the other ladies, but I don't play with anyone. They don't like me..." Rin's voices trailed off and she was silent for a few minutes. "The other moms don't like me very much either; they say I make their kids 'uncomfortable.'"

Erik frowned, already angry with Rin's neighbors. What horrible people they must be, if they couldn't see how good a friend Rin could be. The masked boy drummed his fingers on the couches, then brightened. He had an idea.

"Rin, come with me." Abandoning caution, Erik grasped Rin's hand and led her through the house to the door.

"Where are we going? Erik, what are you doing?"

"I am going to introduce your neighbors to the Ghost."


	5. Ghosts and Giggles

**Ch. 5: Ghosts and Giggles**

_Done with school for the summer! I'll be able to update more frequently now._

_We drank the great lakes/like cold lemonade/and both got stomach aches/sprawled out in the shade/so bored to death, you held your breath/and I tried not to yawn/you made my frown turn upside down/and now my worries are gone. _-"Hot Air Balloon" Owl City

Out on the sand, a small group of mothers had set up a long folding table laden with sandwiches, fruits, cookies, and lemonade. The children, meanwhile, had drifted off into small groups; the boys shouted, ran, and tumbled with each in the shallow waves while the little girls paraded about in their swimsuits, built dainty sandcastles and tapped their toes in the water. The group of mothers, all clad in soft sundresses and sandals, relaxed in folding chairs or on towels, keeping close eyes on their children and gossiping.

"So, where did they go for the honeymoon?" one dark-haired woman asked.

"I think just outside of London. You know, tour the country and the city all at once," another replied.

"Oh, that's nice."

"Yes. But, er, what of... you know... the girl?"

"I think Mrs. Willowby is looking after her. Heaven knows why, though."

"Are you sure, Cathy? Why, just as Angie and I arrived, we saw Mrs. Willowby heading to town. No one was with her."

"Then... she's all alone? Should we go check on her?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Mary, that little thing can look after herself. Her kind are very independent."

"Still, it would be awful if-"

"Nonsense!" the one called Cathy interjected. "The little half-demon is fine. Look, the house is still standing and it's quiet. Doubtless she's sleeping or something. You know how self-reliant she is, Mary and besides, if we were to run into her, we'd have to invite her. I know you're friends with her mother and all, but the half-demon makes the other children uncomfortable. You know that."

"Yes," Mary agreed faintly. Frankly, she couldn't argue; her own daughter, Abby, constantly shied away from Rin, stating that she didn't see the half-demon girl as a friend. Her relationship with Rin's mother notwithstanding, Mary didn't want to force her daughter to be friends with someone she had nothing common with.

"Mum, are we going to eat soon?" one of the young boys called from the shallows.

"In a minute, love," his mother called back. To her friends, she added, "Let's get the girls settled first. Goodness knows our boys won't wait."

The troop of girls, who had been waiting close by, immediately trotted up to the table and arranged themselves at their places. The boys, meanwhile, were subjected to a brief rub-down by their parents before being allowed anywhere near the food.

"You girls can start serving yourselves," one of the mothers called.

"Alright, everyone, you know the rules. Sandwiches first, fruit on the side, and then the cookies." The little girl Angie flicked back her golden curls and helped herself to sandwiches and fruit slices before passing the dishes. As soon as her friends were occupied, she began loading cookies onto her plate.

"Hey, Angie-" one of the girls began.

"Oh don't worry, Lily, I'm not _eating _them. I'm only saving them. Heaven knows the boys won't obey table manners." Angie turned her little nose up in disgust at the thought. The other girls gazed at each other thoughtfully and began helping themselves to their own dessert. Satisfied, Angie reached for her cup...

... only for it to almost leap off the table and into the sand.

"Hey!"

"Oh, Angie, did you drop your cup?"

"I did NOT drop my cup," Angie retorted. "The cup moved."

"Cups can't move, Angie." Angie bent over to retrieve the object only for it to jerk out of reach once more, dragging itself through the sand.

"I guess that one can," another little girl whispered fearfully.

"There must be something wrong with it," Angie said.

"Wrong with what?" Cathy, Angie's mother, had directed the troop of boys to the table.

"My cup was moving by itself," Angie said as the other girls nodded.

"Oh come now, darling, it was probably just the wind." Cathy picked up another cup (mentally praising herself for setting out plenty of extras). "See, here you are."

The cup was still touching Cathy's fingertips when it too slid across the table and onto the sand. At the same time, the serving spoon for a tureen of pudding another mother had brought leaped into the gooey treat, splattering a few of the children.

"What's happening?"

"Maybe the table's haunted!" one of the little boys said, his eyes wide.

"Oh please!" Cathy exclaimed. "That's ridic-"

The bowl of fruit salad began to spin like a top, spun by the most clever of fingers. The girls shrieked and scrambled to their mothers, who watched the scene with wide eyes. One brave little boy reached to touch the moving object when a rasping voice halted him.

_"Leave at once! Leave at once or suffer my wrath!" _The supernatural voice, trembling with anger and radiating hate, left little doubt that to remain on the beach would be disastrous. Squealing with fright, the children barreled toward their parked cars while their mothers raced to pack up their possessions. In all the chaos, no one noticed two pairs of small hands snake up from under the table and remove the sandwiches, cookies, and lemonade  
>****************************************************************************************************************************************<p>

"Behold the spoils of war!" Perched under a tree some distance away, Erik and Rin were beaming with pride at their own picnic spread. Both children were still giggling at the stunt they had pulled, made possible by the tricks Erik had perfected both at home and in the gypsy camp.

"A true magician never reveals his secrets," the masked boy had explained. "But everyone who sees my tricks always thinks it's a ghost."

"Did you hear Angie screaming?" Rin asked now, between bites of sandwich. "I though she was gonna faint for sure!"

"Same with her mother," Erik agreed, helping himself to a cookie. "Honestly, the whole lot of them could have put a flock of seagulls to shame."

Rin had snatched two straws from the picnic table and she placed them in the large pitcher of lemonade.

"Look, we'll share."

The cool sweet liquid rapidly disappeared into the children's stomachs and they both leaned back against the tree, dizzy with excitement and slightly overstuffed with treats.

"You know," Erik mused, "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and find out I'ved been dreaming."

"Yeah," Rin agreed. "I don't think I've ever had so much fun before."

"I know I haven't," Erik replied. "I never knew having a friend could be so... so wonderful." Erik glanced shyly over at the half-demon, who returned his smile. Looking up, Rin pointed to the tree's branches.

"Hey, let's climb!" Wings trailing behind her, Rin easily scampered up the trunk. Erik, whose reflexes had never failed him, followed suit. Stepping onto a sturdy branch, the masked boy hooked his knees around the wood and allowed himself to dangle upside down, as he had done from the stair railings at home when his mother wasn't around. Rin cocked her head and mimicked Erik, wrapping her wings about her. Faces inches from each other, Erik and Rin studied how the other looked while upside down.

"You really do look like a bat, Rin!" Erik said.

"Thanks! And you really look like a ghost!"

Both children burst out into laughter, totally overwhelmed with happiness. The high notes of their joy were carried on the wind, signalling to all that two young friends were alive and well on this summer's day of their childhood.


	6. Under the Full Moon

**Ch. 6: Under the Full Moon**

_Some one in my life just might be loving me/I didn't know that I could feel this way_

"I Didn't Know That I Could Feel This Way"-Roger Bart & Susan Egan

That night, the full moon looked down upon an ocean as smooth as glass. Only the soft whispering of tiny waves hissing over the shore indicated any kind of movement and there was only the slightest hint of a breeze to rustle the long grass framing the dunes.

"You know, I think this day has been my favorite day of all," Rin said, glancing over at her companion.

"Well," Erik admitted. "I certainly don't recall a time when I've felt any happier." The little half-demon cocked her head at her masked friend.

"Was it really that bad? Living with your mother, I mean." Erik sighed, drawing his knees up to his chin.

"She… Rin, she hated me. She told me so."

"Because of your face?"

"Yes. Because of my face." Rin was silent, glancing up at the starry sky.

"Well, I don't think you're ugly." Erik chuckled humorlessly.

"Yes, but you've never seen my face."

"Still not ugly," Rin replied, giving her friend a shy smile. Once again, Erik felt a blush rising behind his mask. Averting his eyes, the boy ran his thin fingers through the grass.

"Yes, well, at I know one person will think of me as human."

"Well, you _are _human, Erik."

"Not according to some."

"Who cares? I don't care about what _my _neighbors think." Rin crossed her arms and turned up her nose in a show of defiance. Yet, Erik knew that a show was all Rin was displaying. Both of the children had overheard some of what the adults had said about her while Erik was setting up for his ghost routine.

"The half-demon makes other children uncomfortable," one of the mothers had said. Shocked, Erik had turned to his friend only to see a resigned expression on her face.

"Told you," Rin had said, her ears drooping slightly. "People don't like me.

Erik had done everything in his power to make sure every one of the gossiping adults and snotty children were scared witless. He hoped said children were laying awake and afraid in their beds tonight.

Standing up, Erik stretched and breathed deeply of the cool sea air. Ah, there was something truly romantic about the full moon. Unlike other children, Erik had never been afraid of the dark and he was ready to bet that Rin had never feared the absence of light. After all, they were two children of the night, weren't they?

"Would you like to dance?" the masked boy asked, holding out a hand to his friend.

"Dance?" Rin cocked her head at him.

"Yes. When I lived with the Gypsies, they danced under the full moon all the time. And, sometimes, when I lived with my mother, I would sneak out at night and sometimes I'd see older boys and girls dancing."

Well," Rin admitted. "I don't really know how to dance."

"I didn't really know how to swim until earlier today," Erik insisted. "You taught me to swim; I can teach you to dance a little."

A smile lit across the little half-demon's face and she grasped Erik's hand. "Okay. Show me."

"Right. Well, first you step this way." Rin's natural demon reflexes aided her throughout the short lesson and soon she was able to mimic the traditional Gypsy dance steps that Erik had observed so often.

"Yes, that's it!"

"Hey, this is fun!"

Grasping hands with Rin, Erik fell into step beside her, singing one of the melodies he'd learned by heart. His voice- the voice that had drawn so many to the Gypsy shows- filled the air like music in an opera hall. And under that full moon, Rin and Erik danced as though they had never once been treated cruelly by anyone.


	7. A Secret Revealed

**Ch. 7: ****A Secret Revealed**

_Been some time since I updated this. But Rin's birthday (or the day I selected as her birthday) was not so long ago and so I decided to add a chapter in honor of the event._

"There. What do you think?" Rin turned to look at her friend's creation. Though sculped out of sand, the small building was elegantly crafted from its sweeping front steps to its curved pillars. The sides of the building were decorated with tiny shells and pebbles and the tiny doors were open.

"Wow!"

"You like it?"

"_Hai_, I do! How did you do it, Erik?" The masked boy smiled.

"The same way I build anything. With my own two hands."

"Yeah, but you made it perfect! I don't think anyone here can do that and we live around sand." Rin paused, wrinkling her nose. "But most girls don't like to get their hands dirty." To prove her point, Rin plunged her own hands into the wet sand and came up with two handfuls of dripping sludge, which she let run from her hands and form into a craggy mountain.

"I guess none of them will be building anything worth mentioning then," Erik replied, turning back to his own masterpiece.

"Probably not. Are you gonna build something like that for real?"

"Maybe. I heard about plans for an opera house in Paris, but no one can decide on a location. If it were up to me, I would build it in the center of the city, where everyone can come and hear the music."

"Your music?"

"If I could."

"You should. Your music is the best in the world."

"_Arigato, _Rin."

"_Toitatsematsu, _Erik," Rin replied, delighted at how fast her new friend was picking up her language. Indeed, in the two days since scaring away Angie and the others, Erik had mastered enough Japanese to hold full conversations with his half-demon friend.

"I think it's going to rain later," Erik said now, looking up at the greying sky.

"_Hai_. I can smell it." Rin looked back at Erik's creation. "It'll probably wash away your opera house." The boy shrugged.

"I can make another. I know the design." As he spoke, Erik noticed something shiny in the hole Rin had just dug.

"Look, Rin." Reaching over, Erik's nimble fingers grasped something hard and jagged. With a quick tug, the two children watched as a good-sized chunck of crystal-lined rock emerged. Despite the sand crusting it, the rock still gleamed even with the sun fading into the clouds.

"That was buried here? I wonder where it came from."

"I'm not sure, but I wonder if I can use this."

"For what?"

"To make something. A lovely piece of stone deserves to become something just as nice."

CRACK!

Over the ocean, a bolt of lightning lit up the dark blue water and three seconds later, a booming peal of thunder followed. Rin stood up.

"We'd better go. I guess the rain is going to be be more of a thunderstorm." Erik followed his friend, the wind tugging at both of the children's clothing. Behind them, the waves had began lapping at the sand mountain and opera house they had made.  
>*******************************************************************************************************************************<p>

After cleaning up, Erik built a fire and the two friends helped themselves to whatever they wanted from the kitchen. Rin had spoken truthfully when she had said there had been plenty of wedding leftovers; the children contented themselves with warming up a shepherd's pie that hadn't even been touched.

"Where did your mother and step-father go for thei honeymoon?" Erik asked.

"Into the country. I think they just rented a cabin."

"Oh."

"_Hai._"

"Have you ever been into London, Rin?" The little half-demon wrinkled her nose.

"Once. It was loud and smelled bad."

"But were the buildings as impressive as they are in books?"

"Mmmm, I didn't really pay attention to them. But... they're big."

"I would imagine so," Erik responded with a wry grin.

"Well, maybe the people in London are small!"

"Oh, I'm sure!" Rin stood up and began stalking around the room, claws bared.

"Maybe they're so small we could stomp through the city and knock everything over!"

"Why would we want to do that?" Erik asked.

"As a joke! We're just kids, so we can stomp around in a city full of tiny people and when they're scared we'll say, 'We're not even grown-up yet' and then they'll run away even faster 'cause they won't want to see the adults and-" By this point, Erik was laughing.

"You _are _crazy, Rin!"

"Look out! Here I come!" Playfully, Rin jumped at Erik, who easily dodged away. Laughing hard, the two children engaged in a furious game of keep-away, ducking around furniture and running back and forth across the room.

"I'm gonna get you!"

"Oh no you're not!"

"Gotcha!" Rin playfully pounced, sending the two of them tumbling onto the soft carpet. At the same time, one of her wing spines caught the strap of Erik's mask and caused it to part, exposing Erik's face in all its deformed glory.


End file.
